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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25530208">The Feeling's Mutual</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/enchantedsleeper/pseuds/enchantedsleeper'>enchantedsleeper</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fence (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And also a slightly exasperated one, Arune is a good friend, Bisexual Harvard Lee, First Kiss, How the conversation between Harvard and Aiden in volume 4 could (should) have gone, M/M, Making Out, Mutual Pining, dumb boys being dumb about their feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:20:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,070</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25530208</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/enchantedsleeper/pseuds/enchantedsleeper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A conversation with Arune after the match against Methodist Lads' College makes Harvard see his friendship with Aiden in a different light.</p><p>The question is, what is he going to do about it?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aiden Kane/Harvard Lee, Harvard Lee &amp; Arune Singh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Feeling's Mutual</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello, <em>Fence!</em> fandom! I finally got around to reading this wonderful series for the first time last year and now I'm climbing the walls needing more material about our favourite dumb, oblivious fencing boys. But especially Harvard and Aiden. </p><p>I loved the conversation between Harvard and Arune in volume 4 where Arune was obviously nonplussed that he and Aiden weren't an item XD And then Harvard and Aiden came <em>soooo clooooose</em> to having a Very Important Revelation later on that night - but of course they're still deep in De Nile about their feelings for each other. Well, Harvard is. I think Aiden knows exactly how he feels about Harvard, but it terrifies him/he's convinced he'll mess things up. *heavy sigh*</p><p>So, I decided to write a scenario in which Arune and Harvard got a chance to talk properly after the match - and give Harvard a little nudge in the right direction. :D Does it pay off? You'll have to read on and find out... *mysterious eyebrows*</p><p> </p><p>  <strike>I mean it's kind of implied in the tags but shhhh</strike></p><p> </p><p>Hat tip to P, whose headcanon about the bear being a gift from Harvard I have blatantly stolen :D</p><p>Also, please know that Aiden's view on pansexuality does not reflect that of the author, who loves cookware puns.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, Aiden’s really some uber-playboy now, huh?” Arune said thoughtfully.</p><p>The two boys stood off to one side as the King’s Row fencing team waited for their bus to be ready to depart. The engine had made an odd noise when the driver started it up, and she was making a quick check to ensure that everything was in working order. It wouldn’t do to get stranded somewhere on the highway in the middle of the return journey.</p><p>This gave Arune and Harvard a chance to catch up properly and talk about things that weren’t fencing. (Well, they were still sort of about fencing, because that was the life).</p><p>“I wouldn’t say <em>uber</em>-playboy,” Harvard hedged, even though he knew most people who had met Aiden would agree with Arune’s choice of wording. “He likes to date around. There’s nothing wrong with that.”</p><p>Arune arched an eyebrow, and Harvard realised his tone might have been a tiny bit defensive. “I never said there was.”</p><p>Harvard kind of wished the topic hadn’t come around to Aiden, though it was natural for Arune to ask after him, given that he’d known both Harvard and Aiden since primary school. He wasn’t sure <em>why</em> it made him feel so on edge – maybe it was the shrewd way Arune was looking at him. (He’d always been able to read Harvard uncomfortably well). And, well, there was a part of him that knew it was more than fair for someone else to be asking why he, as team captain, was willing to let the constant absence of one of his team members slide.</p><p>“But doesn’t it bother you that he blows the team off constantly? Blows <em>you</em> off?” Arune continued, and there it was. Harvard sighed a little and looked over to the bus to see if they were ready to set off yet, but no, no dice.</p><p>“I mean, more than anything else, I’m surprised your coach hasn’t kicked his ass about it yet. She doesn’t seem like the type to let that slide,” Arune mused. Harvard snorted, a little amused and a little resigned.</p><p>“She has, multiple times. He got a bit better for a while, but he’s just…” Harvard struggled to find a word that wasn’t too uncomplimentary. <em>Unreliable, flaky, careless, unconcerned. </em>“…inconsistent. He’s always come through for me when it really counted, though. And I think Coach knows that too.”</p><p>Half of Arune’s mouth quirked up into a smile. “Come through ‘for you’? Yeah, I can see that.”</p><p>Harvard flushed. He hadn’t quite meant to put it that way. “Not for me. For the team.”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t really doubt it <em>was</em> for you,” said Arune. Harvard stared at him, distantly registering the sound of Coach Williams shouting for everyone to <em>get their asses on the bus.</em></p><p>“What do you mean by that?” Harvard asked, even though as Captain he should have been organising the others onto the bus.</p><p>Arune huffed a small sigh. “It’s just, from what I remember, Aiden used to look at you like you’d hung the moon and stars in the sky. And even though you say he’s had a ‘glow up’ since then, I somehow doubt that’s changed.”</p><p>Harvard was at a loss for how to respond to that. Arune smiled and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “It was good to see you again. And uh, I think your coach is calling you.”</p><p>Harvard shook himself, and registered Coach Williams’ voice shouting, <em>“Harvard, you’d better get on this bus in 10 seconds or we’re leaving without you!” </em>He straightened abruptly.</p><p>“Right – I’ve gotta go. It was good to… good to catch up.” Harvard turned to go, and then caught himself. “And uh, Arune? Thanks.”</p><p>He couldn’t quite articulate what he was thanking Arune for, but Arune nodded like he understood.</p><p>Running up to the bus, Harvard gave a rushed apology to Coach Williams, who quirked an eyebrow at him but didn’t say anything.</p><p>Harvard dropped into his seat at the front, the chair next to him still conspicuously empty. He tried to tune out the chattering of Aiden’s fan club behind him, excitedly discussing when they might next be able to watch their idol practice. Unlocking his phone, Harvard thumbed slowly back through the last text message thread he’d had open: his conversation with Aiden.</p><p>
  <strong>Aiden: <em>don’t fall into MLC’s trap of being too predictable</em></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Me: <em>Thanks Aiden. Your fans miss you.</em></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Aiden:<em> don’t wait up</em></strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Me: <em>Save me a cupcake.</em></strong>
</p><p>Aiden’s perfectly-timed message had given him the kick that he needed to come up with the right strategy to beat MLC. Aiden might have bailed on the match, but even in the middle of his date, he’d been thinking about Harvard, texting him. It wasn’t even unusual – Aiden always texted him from his dates. He’d never thought twice about it before, but now…</p><p>Harvard stared out of the window, Arune’s words running through his mind. <em>“Aiden used to look at you liked you’d hung the moon and stars in the sky... I somehow doubt that’s changed.”</em></p>
<hr/><p>Harvard was deep into his latest book, a murder mystery his youngest sister had recommended, by the time Aiden quietly let himself into their dorm room. The clock read after midnight.</p><p>“I waited up,” Harvard said, lifting his book for emphasis.</p><p>“I saved you a cupcake,” Aiden replied with a little grin, holding up the pink bag.</p><p>Harvard waited while Aiden got ready for bed, pretending to read but not taking in a single word on the page in front of him. Aiden said nothing as he was changing; normally he would be offering a disparaging commentary on the guy he’d been seeing, bemoaning his lack of kissing technique or his choice of dinner venue or his terrible fashion sense. Harvard would listen and roll his eyes and try to offer up some kind of defence for the poor sap Aiden had been dating. He wasn’t sure why he bothered. He felt bad for the string of broken hearts that Aiden left in his wake, but was he hoping to somehow persuade Aiden that one of them might actually be worth his time? To stop fooling around and try to take something seriously? He didn’t know.</p><p>Aiden climbed underneath the covers of his bed. The air in their shared room was tense, like both of them were waiting for something. Harvard realised that he would normally be talking right now, giving Aiden the run-down on their match against MLC. He’d texted Aiden to let him know the outcome of the match after they’d got back to the school, and Aiden had replied with a flippant, “<strong><em>see? I knew you didn’t need me</em></strong>” But that had been all.</p><p>“Aiden… Can I ask you something?” Harvard said, breaking the silence.</p><p>Aiden shifted onto his side so that he was facing Harvard across the divide between their beds. “Sure.”</p><p>“Why do you sleep around so much?”</p><p>Aiden gave him a slightly disbelieving smirk. “Why not? It’s fun,” he replied easily.</p><p>“I just think – there must be plenty of guys out there who’d want to be your boyfriend for real,” Harvard pressed him. Aiden gave a little snort as he rolled onto his back. “Someone who’d hold your hand, take you out on dates, be there for you when you need him—”</p><p>“You’re a romantic,” Aiden laughed, and Harvard’s cheeks darkened. Something about the casually dismissive way Aiden said it irked him, like he was adorable and precious for even thinking of such a thing.</p><p>“Yeah, maybe.”</p><p>Aiden’s face grew serious as he stared up at the ceiling. “If there really was a guy like that, he’d deserve a lot better than me,” he said. There was something in his voice – a note of wistfulness, maybe? These moments of vulnerability from Aiden were rare, even within the privacy of their room. Harvard pressed his lips together, trying to find the right words.</p><p>“Why would he deserve better than you?” he asked.</p><p>Aiden snorted again, on the verge of a full-on laugh. “Uh, you’ve <em>met</em> me, right? I don’t treat people very well.”</p><p>“You treat me okay,” Harvard countered immediately.</p><p>“You’re kidding, right?” Aiden asked. “I bailed on you today. I’ve bailed on you a hundred times.”</p><p>“Well, yeah. You’re a giant flake,” Harvard agreed. “You’re late constantly, you skip practice, you forget people’s names, you blow off matches the second that you get a better offer—”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, you’ve made your point,” Aiden said sourly. But Harvard hadn’t, in fact, made his point yet.</p><p>“—but you’ve always been there for me when it <strong>mattered</strong>,” he said with quiet emphasis. “You always are.” Aiden was silent. “So, how is that different?”</p><p>“How is that different?” Aiden repeated, sitting up and turning to face him. “Because it’s <em>you,</em> Harvard. You’re my best friend.”</p><p><em>Best friend</em>. They <em>were</em> best friends, but for some reason the words stung in a way they hadn’t before. As if Aiden was throwing them out there like an excuse – <em>you get to be the exception to the rule, but only because we’re best friends. That’s all.</em> He knew Aiden didn’t mean it that way, but he still couldn’t shake how bitter it made him feel.</p><p>“So why do you have to be best friends with someone to actually treat them decently?” he asked. Aiden huffed loudly with exasperation, flopping onto his back again. His hands came up like he wanted to cover his ears, but instead they tangled in his hair. “What if you met someone – someone you didn’t want to blow off, someone who you actually wanted to—”</p><p>“Who is this <em>mythical person</em> that I would want to treat better than you?” Aiden demanded angrily. Harvard blinked at him, shocked into silence. Had Aiden just said…? “You keep acting like I’m going to somehow meet this amazing, perfect person who’ll suddenly make me re-evaluate all of my life choices, everything I think about relationships. But it isn’t going to happen.</p><p>“I’ve dated tons of guys who want to hold my hand, and hold doors open for me and whisper sweet nothings in my ear – but none of them really <em>know</em> me. None of them see <em>me</em>.” Aiden’s face was twisted in a bitter sort of smile as he stared up at the ceiling. “They just see this… image of perfection. Someone to project all their fantasies onto. They wouldn’t stick around for two seconds if they realised I was actually human.”</p><p><em>Because that’s the persona you cultivate,</em> Harvard wanted to tell him. But he knew how much of Aiden’s playboy, untouchable persona was a defence mechanism. As was blowing off practice, showing up late and getting away with everything – because he couldn’t be seen to try. Everything had to look effortless. That was part of the game. Harvard found himself falling for it too, sometimes.</p><p><em>If you would ever let your guard down for just a second, they might be able to get to know you,</em> he thought about saying. But he didn’t. Instead, what came out was,</p><p>“So what makes me different?”</p><p>Aiden turned on his side and gave Harvard an amused frown. “Uh, I just told you that, Harvard. Remember? You’re my best friend.”</p><p>“Yeah, but <em>why</em> am I—” <em>The exception to the rule</em>, Harvard stopped short of saying. “Is that all? Just because we’ve known each other since we were five? Was I just lucky enough to… to get to know you before the others?”</p><p>A look of hurt flashed across Aiden’s face, too quick for anyone who didn’t know how to read him extremely well to pick up on. But Harvard did. “Of course that’s not it.”</p><p>Aiden shifted onto his back again, and Harvard caught a glimpse of a plush arm: the teddy bear Aiden always slept with, that Harvard had won for him at a funfair when they were ten years old. Aiden hadn’t slept without it since, as far as he could tell. He’d named the bear Mr. Snuggles McPlushems III.</p><p>“So…” he pressed, when Aiden didn’t say anything. He wasn’t sure what he was trying to get Aiden to admit. He knew they were best friends, and he felt confident in that friendship – shouldn’t that be enough? A little voice in the back of his head was shrilling that this could ruin everything. Make Aiden think that he didn’t value their friendship.</p><p>But he couldn’t shake the look on Arune’s face when they’d been talking about Aiden. Half-amused, half-pitying, like he couldn’t believe he needed to spell it out to Harvard. And Aiden’s own words, moments earlier – <em>“Who is this mythical person that I would want to treat better than you?”</em></p><p>“Let me ask you a question,” Aiden countered suddenly, rolling back onto his side. “Why haven’t <em>you</em> ever dated anyone? And kissing Alanna Rivera in the fourth grade doesn’t count.”</p><p>Harvard snorted in amusement. “I also—”</p><p>“Nor does taking Beth Tracey to prom,” Aiden added. “I know you didn’t really like her.”</p><p>Harvard quirked an eyebrow at that.</p><p>“So what’s the reason?” Aiden asked again. “I know it’s not because King’s Row is a boy’s school. You told me when we were fourteen that you were attracted to people of any gender.”</p><p>Harvard smiled a little ruefully at the memory. He had told Aiden that – Aiden was the first person he’d told, before he was even totally sure. It had felt important for him to know. <em>“I think I might be bisexual or… pansexual or something,” </em>he’d confessed to Aiden as they sat pressed together, watching another cheesy swordfighting movie. <em>“I don’t know what word to use. But I think I like… people of any gender. Not just girls.”</em></p><p>Aiden had gone quiet for a few moments, then told him that he should use ‘bisexual’, because people would make <em>“fewer dumb cookware puns”.</em></p><p>Harvard wet his lips, Aiden’s question hanging in the air between them. “I’m the fencing captain,” he offered, knowing as he said it how weak it sounded. “And I’m a senior – I have to keep up with my schoolwork, I don’t have time to go on dates-”</p><p>“That’s crap,” Aiden said immediately. “You could easily find the time. Don’t <em>you</em> want all that stuff you were saying earlier? Someone to <em>hold your hand, </em>someone to take you out on dates, someone to gaze lovingly into your eyes and bring you flowers—”</p><p>“Maybe I don’t want that with some anonymous person!” Harvard burst out. Aiden looked at him, eyebrows raised. Harvard felt his face flush, but there was no taking the words back.</p><p>“So what makes you think I do?” Aiden asked quietly, seriously, and Harvard caught his breath. He stared at Aiden. The gap between their beds had never felt so vast and so narrow at the same time.</p><p>“Aiden…” Harvard said, barely recognising the sound of his own voice, thready and strained with tension. “Are you saying… what I think you’re…?”</p><p>Aiden heaved a huge, disbelieving sigh, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “God, I didn’t think even you could be this dense –” he said, and surged forwards. Harvard sucked in a breath, almost overbalancing as Aiden suddenly straddled him, one knee either side of his waist – he threw out a hand behind himself to steady them as Aiden put one hand on his shoulder, the other on the side of his face, and kissed him, hard and clumsy.</p><p>Harvard kissed back, almost reflexively, and the realisation seemed to hit him all at once. He was kissing Aiden. He was <em>kissing Aiden.</em></p><p>There was no denying that Aiden was an experienced kisser – after the initial, overly-forceful kiss, he pulled back, kissing softly, sweetly, with just the right amount of pressure – but there was almost a shyness to him as well that Harvard wouldn’t have expected from his best friend. He kept things relatively chaste, refusing to take the lead, until Harvard grew frustrated, pressing more firmly into the kiss. He felt Aiden smirk against his mouth and give a tiny nip to his bottom lip. Harvard opened his mouth and then they were making out in earnest, Aiden exploring Harvard’s mouth with his tongue, Harvard burying his free hand in Aiden’s hair.</p><p>He shifted them both so that they were positioned more securely, Harvard resting against the headboard with Aiden braced over him. The movement accidentally jostled their hips together and Harvard made a punched-out noise, winded. Aiden broke away to snicker. “Taking things a little fast, aren’t we?” he teased.</p><p>Harvard stared at him, at his slightly darkened and swollen lips, his mussed hair. <em>He,</em> Harvard, had done that to Aiden. His gorgeous, fickle, frustrating and brilliant best friend.</p><p>Aiden seemed to grow more uncertain the longer Harvard gazed at him. “What? It was a joke,” he said a little defensively. “We don’t actually need to – we don’t need to do anything.”</p><p>Harvard squeezed his hip, an apology and a reassurance. “I know. I’m not having second thoughts, I was just… taking things in.”</p><p>Aiden blinked, seeming endearingly surprised and pleased by Harvard’s admission, a pink flush rising to his cheeks. It was so, so far from the overconfident, know-it-all playboy persona that Aiden had always projected. Harvard thrilled at the sight as he caught his breath. He brought one hand up to brush Aiden’s face, tracing his thumb along the blush across Aiden’s cheekbone.</p><p>“We should talk about this,” he admitted, because cold reality was rushing back in, whether he liked it or not. The last thing he wanted to do was get carried away and fall into the trap of not communicating properly, not talking about what this meant to both of them. From their conversation earlier, Harvard had a feeling he knew, but… he wanted to be sure.</p><p>Aiden groaned theatrically. “God, couldn’t you have given it a few more minutes before you got all serious on me? Things were just starting to get interesting.”</p><p>Harvard gave his signature shit-eating grin, the one that always made Aiden laugh and call him devious. “Nope. I’m just that much of a bastard.”</p><p>As expected, Aiden snorted a laugh, and sat back on his heels. “Go on, then. Get it out of your system.” He was trying to sound airy and confident, but Harvard caught the trepidation that lurked underneath.</p><p>“Look…” he began. “I’ll admit, in hindsight, that I might have… missed a few things.”</p><p>“Oh, you think?”</p><p>“But can you blame me?” Harvard asked him. “Aiden, you’ve been hooking up with guys left, right and centre-”</p><p>“Yeah, but I wasn’t <em>serious</em> about any of them, Harvard,” said Aiden. “You knew that. And it’s like you said – I…” He looked down, tongue swiping along his bottom lip, suddenly hesitant. “I’ve treated other guys like crap. I treat <em>most people</em> like crap. But I never wanted to mess up what we had.”</p><p>“Neither did I,” Harvard said honestly. “I guess that’s why I ignored, uh… how I felt about you.” Aiden looked up at him with sudden interest, and it was Harvard’s turn to look away. He could feel himself blushing. “It took Arune pointing it out to me-”</p><p>“Arune? The guy we went to primary school with?” Aiden asked, disbelievingly amused. Harvard raised his eyebrows and swatted at him.</p><p>“So you <em>are</em> capable of remembering people’s names.”</p><p>“Occasionally. When it matters,” Aiden said loftily, and Harvard rolled his eyes. “So, when did you talk to Arune?”</p><p>“At the match. Which you would know if you’d <em>been there</em>,” Harvard said pointedly, and Aiden rolled his eyes. “He fences for MLC. We talked a bit before the match, and uh… after. He said…” Harvard hesitated, not wanting to embarrass Aiden with the exact phrasing that Arune had used. “Well, he remembered how we were ‘joined at the hip’ in primary school. He was surprised not to see you at the match.”</p><p>Aiden snorted. “Yeah, well, I’ve changed a bit since we were kids.”</p><p>“Have you?” Harvard countered. “Because what he said… I mean, it got me thinking. About how you’ve always been there <em>for me</em> when it counted. And you were texting <em>me</em> while you were on your dates. You’ve always texted me from your dates.”</p><p>“Yeah, well.” Aiden avoided his eyes, a flush rising in his cheeks. “Like I said, those never really mattered to me that much. Not like…”</p><p><em>Not like you do,</em> Harvard knew he meant. <em>Not like this does.</em> He couldn’t help leaning forward to kiss Aiden again.</p><p>“If we do this,” Harvard said, leaning back as Aiden tried to chase him for another kiss. “We’ll need to be careful. Set ground rules. Communicate a lot.”</p><p>“God, Harvard, you know how to turn a guy on,” Aiden joked. He leaned over Harvard, and Harvard obligingly shifted so that he was lying on his back, staring up at Aiden. His best friend. His… boyfriend? (Maybe. But he didn’t want to get ahead of himself).</p><p>“I’m serious,” Harvard protested, even as Aiden lightly trailed his fingers over Harvard’s ear and down the side of his neck, making him shiver and arch up. “The real reason I never dated anyone else was because… they couldn’t compare to you. Even if what we had was just friendship… it was better than any relationship I could imagine having. And if we do this, Aiden, I don’t want it to just be a fling. I… I’m really serious about you.”</p><p>“Idiot,” said Aiden, burying his face in the crook of Harvard’s neck in a way that Harvard suspected was more for his own benefit than Harvard’s. “The feeling’s mutual. Why do you think I had a rule about not sleeping with anyone on the team?”</p><p>Harvard frowned slightly. “Because you didn’t want things to get messy and complicated with people you have to maintain a good working relationship with?”</p><p>Aiden snorted as he sat back up, and Harvard reflected that okay, that was a very ‘him’ thing to say.</p><p>“Because I didn’t want to mess up the one good thing in my life,” Aiden said, and Harvard blinked at him, stunned. Aiden hovered over him, a hair’s breadth away from his lips. “That’s you.”</p><p>“Aiden-” Harvard began.</p><p>“For God’s sake, just kiss me, I can’t take any more sentiment,” said Aiden, and Harvard laughed as he leaned up to claim Aiden’s lips, hooking a hand around the back of Aiden’s neck and pulling him down on top of him.</p><p>It was the last thing – well, the last coherent thing – that either of them said for a while.</p>
<hr/><p>Harvard woke up in the middle of the night and wondered why he was so <em>warm</em>. The school didn’t usually put the heating on overnight unless they were in the depths of winter, so the students would compensate by piling extra blankets onto their beds. But it was only September, so why…</p><p>Also, there was something tickling his nose. Harvard turned to see the golden fall of Aiden’s hair, and everything suddenly came back to him in a rush.</p><p>By mutual agreement they hadn’t taken things much further that night. They’d made out for a while longer, then finally shared the cupcake that Aiden had brought back from his date. With Connor. Harvard felt like he should be more uneasy about the fact that he and Aiden had finally got their act together right after Aiden had come back from a date with another guy. But somehow the timing of it felt just right.</p><p>He shifted onto his side, listening to Aiden’s gentle snoring, a sound he usually heard from the next bed over. He reached out to gently card his fingers through Aiden’s hair. Aiden had grown it out over the summer, and Harvard liked it longer.</p><p>Just then, he noticed a dark shape on the pillow by Aiden’s head – Aiden’s phone. No, <em>his</em> phone. They had almost the same make and model of phone, but Harvard’s was a little more beat-up and slightly older. He picked it up, the display lighting up to show that it was 4:07am. Also, he had a new message.</p><p>
  <strong> Arune: <em>You’re very welcome :)</em> </strong>
</p><p><em>What…? </em>Harvard frowned, unlocking his phone. He’d made a point of getting Arune’s number after the match, right before the bus had started making odd noises and delayed their departure from MLC. They’d promised to keep in better touch, but Harvard didn’t remember sending him a message. He opened the conversation.</p><p>
  <strong> Me: <em>thanks. A x</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> Arune:<em> You’re very welcome :)</em> </strong>
</p>
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